Schedule

Here's a look at what Felix's typical week day is going to be like for the next 1-2 weeks:

• 7:15 am  Wake up (vital signs, washcloths, toileting) up in wheel chair for breakfast
• 7:30 am  Breakfast
• 8:00 am Occupational Therapy arrive for dressing and activities of daily living
• 9:00 am Physical Therapy/Speech Therapy
• 11:00 am Back to room -- toileting
• 11:30 am Lunch
• 12:00 pm Rest period
• 1:00 pm Toileting/Occupational therapy/Physical therapy/ Speech therapy
• 3:30 pm Toileting/Rest period
• 4:30 pm visitation time
• 5:00 pm Supper
• 8:00 pm Toileting/Showers 
• 9:00 pm Bedtime

Off to the races

Well Felix had some more physical therapy this morning. He's really doing a lot better already. Looks like he'll be up and going soon and ready to work out in the garden that Henry and I got started for him.

Flower boy

Well, here he is finally awake and in his garden paradise thanks to Pat, Marc, Henry and Bev. Felix says thanks even though his expression might not show it!!!

First day of therapy

Well Felix had his first day of therapy today. First physical therapy, some speech therapy (I think the speech pathologist thinks he's hopeless!!!!) We had hoped he would speak perfect English!!!. Then Occupational therapy. Here he is after some therapy.

Room info

Felix is in room 4111 direct phone 620-513-4111

rehab

Well, today we finally got to see a physical therapist. After evaluating Felix, he thought it would be beneficial and give Felix a jumpstart if we checked him into the hospital for in-patient rehab. He would get physical and occupational therapy twice a day. Felix also had an appointment with his primary physician. He also concurred that it would be a good thing for Felix to get some in-house therapy. So.......this afternoon we checked Felix into the Hutch Hospital (Promise Regional Medical Center) Room 4111 where he'll be going through therapy for the next couple of weeks. The nurse made the mistake of telling us that we could spend the night in the room and Felix already told Louise that he would sleep in the chair and she could sleep in his bed!!! He just never gives up! Hopefully, I'll have some news on his therapy in the next day or two.......JR

Status

Sorry, I haven't posted in a while. I've been trying to figure a way to get some pictures on here but Louise's PC is so old and slow and she only has a dialup connection, that it's impossible. I also can't pick up a broadband connection out here with my laptop....so I guess you'll have to do with just a little text. I really don't have a lot to say. Felix has good days and he has bad days. The last 2 nights he's had bad nights, which translates into bad nights for Louise. I think that sometimes he dreams he's better than he is and he actually will try to get out of bed at night, but he just can't do it yet. Other times, he's just uncomfortable and can't get resituated by himself, so he wakes Louise. Sometimes, he gets pretty loud and then I wake up and become involved. I'll get back to that.....

During the day, we get him up to walk, sometimes with a walker (which is almost impossible to use in their house with all the opsticles (tile floors with deep grout lines, rugs, furniture...), sometimes we just get him up and hold his hand and just walk with him, sometimes we use a belt that the physical therapist, in San Diego, gave us and just have a hold of it and make him do most of the work. He is getting better walking. Yesterday, he even walked about 10' without any help. I was just there to catch him if he lost his balance. He's still very weak but his biggest problem right now is balance.

Today, he sees his doctor and also we finally will see a physical therapist to tell us what we need to work on to get him around faster. Felix, can't get up out of bed or a chair, on his own. It's very difficult to get him out of the house because we have to take a few steps with him and right now that's nearly impossible without 2 people to help. Louise, doesn't want me to build a ramp (it would have to be pretty long to keep the slope at a minimum) so Felix is going to have to get better quick or Louise is going to have a hard time. I have to get back home after this weekend, so it will just be the two of them at least for a while.

Now back to the nights. Felix can be a real $#!+ at night. He gets confused at night and sometimes doesn't quite know where he's at or what he can do or can't. If Louise gets 2 hours of continuous sleep, it's a good night. I don't know what will happen if she gets sick! Felix is getting pretty frustrated. He wants to be more self sufficient sometimes and sometimes he just wants Louise to do everything for him. Yesterday morning he was feeling sorry for himself. He told us that he wished we would have just left him in Mexico. Louise was also frustrated and said she wished that was the case because she'd be here and rested! The last 2 mornings I've chewed him out like he did so many times to me when I was little. Today, he was getting upset because he couldn't do something and took it out on us and I had to threaten him that to sit down or I would sit him down. I think he knew I meant it. It makes me a little teary eyed when I think about it. I long for the day when he can kick my butt.

Well, sorry for such a downer of a blog. I guess I'm just expressing my frustrations. Hopefully, I'll have some better news for you after he works with the Therapist and sees the Doctor......JR